1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to a low tank toilet in which the height of a toilet tank is lower than that of the rim of a toilet bowl and, more particularly, to a switching device for rim water in a low tank toilet, in which toilet water in a toilet tank is drawn and supplied to a rim of a toilet bowl by the pressure of water that is supplied from a filler valve to the rim through a water supply tube and a supply water switching unit is rotated according to a reduction in the water level of the toilet tank, so that the water supplied from the filler valve is charged into the toilet tank and, at the same time, some water supplied from the filler valve is supplied to the rim through a fill-up water inlet hole.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, when a flush handle of a low tank toilet, in which a toilet tank is integrated with a toilet bowl into a single body and is filled with toilet water supplied from a filler valve, is manipulated to flush the toilet bowl after relieving oneself, a tank ball is opened by the flush handle and the toilet water is discharged from the toilet tank into the toilet bowl through a flush hole of the toilet tank. In the above state, some toilet water of the toilet tank is drawn and supplied to a rim of the toilet bowl by the pressure of cold water that is supplied from the filler valve to a water supply tube, so that the water is discharged to the toilet bowl through rim water discharge holes and washes the inner surface of the toilet bowl while removing urine and feces from the toilet bowl.
However, in the conventional low tank toilet, the rim is placed at a higher location than that of the toilet tank so that a sufficient amount of water cannot be supplied from the toilet tank to the rim and, accordingly, the water that is discharged from the rim cannot efficiently wash the inner surface of the toilet bowl.
In an effort to overcome the problems, a toilet having a rim water supply device using a jet pump has been proposed, as disclosed in Korean Patent No. 0483510.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the toilet disclosed in the above-mentioned patent is operated in such a way that, when a flush handle 16 is manipulated, a tank ball 15 is opened so that toilet water is discharged into a toilet bowl and, at the same time, cold water is supplied from a filler valve 13 through a filler valve connection tube 17. In the above state, a jet pump 20 is operated and the cold water is supplied into a rim water channel 18 together with the toilet water that has been stored in a toilet tank 12. Here, the toilet water in the toilet tank is drawn into the rim water channel 18 through an inlet port 24 by the pressure of the cold water. When the water level in the toilet tank 12 is reduced in the above state, a control ball 26 moves downward in a ball guide tube 25 and closes a throat 22.
Further, when the toilet water has been discharged from the toilet tank 12, the tank ball 15 is closed. In the above state, although cold water is continuously supplied from the filler valve 13, the control ball 26 closes the throat 22 so that the operation of the jet pump 20 is stopped and the cold water collides against the control ball 26, thereby being charged into the toilet tank 12. When the toilet tank is filled with cold water to a predetermined full water level, the filler valve 13 stops the supply of cold water and the control ball 26 moves upward in the ball guide tube 25 due to buoyancy and stays in a waiting state for next flushing.
However, the above-mentioned patent has the following problems. Although the toilet of the patent is provided with the jet pump at a location between the filler valve and the rim water channel so as to solve the problems experienced in the prior art and, accordingly, the amount of rim water that is supplied to the rim water channel can be increased, the toilet of the patent is problematic in that, when the toilet water is discharged in response to the operation of the flush handle and the water level in the toilet tank is thus reduced, the control ball very quickly drops to the inlet port due to a suction force that draws the toilet water in the toilet tank by the pressure of the cold water that is supplied from the filler valve, so that the control ball collides against the ball guide tube and generates noise.
In addition, the toilet water is continuously discharged from the toilet tank until the tank ball is closed and the control ball in the above state moves downward in the ball guide tube so that it is impossible to control the location at which the flow passage for water is switched. Further, the control ball closes the throat by the pressure of water that is supplied from the filler valve, so that it is impossible to supply fill-up water or to optionally control the control ball.